Belize is a small nation in Central America, on the Caribbean Sea bordering Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. Honduras lies 75 km away at the two nations' closest point across the Gulf of Honduras[?] to the east. In the Spanish language Belize is usually called Belice. Belize was formerly known as British Honduras and the current name is derived from Belize City and the Belize River. Belize City the country's largest town (and only city), the principal port and its former capital.

Belize grew into a more official colony of the United Kingdom during the late 18th, early 19th century under the name of British Honduras, which became a crown colony in 1862. Self-governing since January 1964 and renamed to Belize in June 1973, the country achieved full independence in September 1981 after delays caused by territorial disputes with neighbouring Guatemala, which did not formally recognise the country until 1991.

The bicameral Belizean parliament is the National Assembly, which consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The 29 members of the House are popularly elected to a maximum 5-year term. Of the Senate's eight members, five are elected by the prime minister, two by the leader of the opposition, and one by the governor general on the advice of the Belize Advisory Council. The Senate is headed by a president, who is a nonvoting member appointed by the governing party.

The small, essentially private enterprise economy is based primarily on agriculture, agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction assuming greater importance. Sugar, the chief crop, accounts for nearly half of exports, while the banana industry is the country's largest employer.

The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.4% in 1999 and 10.5% in 2000. Growth decelerated in 2001 to 3% due to the global slowdown and severe hurricane damage to agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Major concerns continue to be the rapidly expanding trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.

English is the official language. Most Belizeans other than recent arrivals from neighboring countries have at least a working knowledge of English. English or Creole English predominates along the coast, and in the center and south of the country. In the west and north, the Spanish language is more widely spoken. Spanish is the native tongue of about 50% of the people and is spoken as a second language by another 20%. The various Maya groups still speak Maya languages, and an English Creole dialect, similar to the Creole dialects of the English-speaking Caribbean Islands, is spoken by most. Some communities in southern Belize mostly speak Garifuna[?].